Whatever the Cost
by neophytos.vrondis
Summary: After their success at defending Haven Academy and getting their hands on the Relic of Knowledge, the gang went back to rest and figure out a way to get to Atlas. Except Jaune. Team RWBY reunited, but Team JNPR will always stay broken. Unless, there was a way to bring her back? Jaune won't stop. No matter the cost. Villain/Jaune. Cover image made by Mashupman2100.
1. Lone Soul

**_Sup guys? Welcome to a brand new story of mine. It has been a long damn while since I've written both a new story and on this site. Lot of things that came in my way, both real life and health related. But, that's all mostly gone. I'm back to writing once more. So, i hope you guys enjoy reading this story. If you have any questions, please ask either in the reviews or send me a PM. I'll answer your question in the next chapter, though i won't be giving any spoilers. On with the chapter then._**

 ** _Chapter 1: The soul that broke._**

 _"I'll always be here for you Jaune."_

What a lie that turned out to be.

Jaune shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking like that. He owed so much to Pyrrha.

 _She left me. All alone._

Again, he shook his head. He wasn't alone. He had his team and Team RWBY with him. He wasn't alone.

 _I am. Pyrrha was the reason i wasn't sent to an early grave. She was the one that taught me how to fight._

He couldn't argue with that. It was the truth after all.

 _You should leave them behind. They wouldn't mind. They don't need a failure like you to lead them. They have Ruby. She's better than you in everything._

He disagreed. If he left, Nora would probably search the entirety of Remnant to find him, break his legs and drag his sorry carcass back to them. That made him smile a bit. Same goes for Ren, though without the leg breaking. Team RWBY though, he guessed that only Ruby would care enough to search for him. He wasn't close enough to Blake to even consider her a friend. Yang only talked to him cause he was friends with Ruby. And most times she just teased him to no ends. It felt like she was a second Cardin. And Weiss?

Jaune let out a snort.

Lets not get him started. The amount of times he annoyed her, the times he tried to get her to go out on a date with him. Even if he did save her life and made Neptune go and talk to her back at the dance, he still hasn't even received a 'thank you.'

That made him beyond angry. He dug his fingernails into his palms, his nails long enough and strong enough to push through the flesh and into the muscle within. Blood slowly dripped on the floor, his fingers being coated in his blood.

Jaune snapped his eyes open as he came back to reality from his self loathing. He unclenched his hands and looked at his palms, seeing four thin red lines, all still bleeding. He closed his eyes and focused his Aura into his hands, which began to glow white. After a few seconds, the light from Jaune's Aura disappeared. He opened his eyes and saw that his self made wounds were all healed.

He's never done that before. He never managed to hurt himself like this. He's never felt this angry at someone.

That was a lie. Cinder.

He wanted to kill her. He wanted revenge. She took something away from him. Something he didn't know if he would be able to gain it back.

His happiness.

Every laugh that escaped his throat was hollow.

Every time he smiled at someone it looked forced.

Every time he talked, you could her the sadness and regret oozing out of him.

His jokes became cynical. He became cynical.

Jaune looked at the destroyed training dummy that he was practicing on a while ago. He imagined that it was Cinder. He imagined that he beat her. That it was him humiliating her and not the other way around.

Oh, how he wished that all that wasn't just petty fantasy.

"Jaune...? What are you doing down here this late?" A high pitched voice whispered to him.

He turned around and saw Ruby in her pyjamas, staring at him with sleepy eyes, but the concern was there as well.

He looked back at the dummy, silent anger blazing in his eyes, but he managed to answer her calmly.

"Nothing much Rubes, just couldn't sleep so I decided to train a bit. I'll go back to bed soon. Just... give me some time alone." He said, trying to keep the facade alive.

Unfortunately, he wasn't Weiss. He didn't know if he could keep this going for much longer.

"Are... Are you sure? You look... angry. Like, Yang level angry. And there's blood on the floor. You alright?" She asked as she took a small step closer to Jaune.

"Oh, the blood... just had a bit of a training accident with Crocea Mors. You know, good ol' clumsy Jaune, back at it again." He said, hoping to distract her with a bit of humour.

Ruby however, wasn't buying it.

"Jaune, you know better than to lie to me. We're besties. If there's something bothering you i want to be there to help you. Like when you helped me when i was doubting myself in Kuroyuri. So, let me help you." Ruby said as she got closer to Jaune, touching his shoulder in comfort.

Jaune briefly turned his head around and stared at her coldly. Why couldn't she see that he wanted to be alone? Why didn't she see that he wanted to suffer all by himself?!

 _I let Pyrrha die after all. I deserve this. I deserve all of this..._

"Ruby. Go back to bed. Don't waste your time with me. I'll be alright. I just..want to be alone for a bit. I promise to talk to you about this tomorrow. Just... not right now." Jaune said, turning back to face forward, shrugging off Ruby's hand as he did so.

Ruby looked conflicted. She wanted to comfort him. She wanted to help him get better. She wanted to help the same way he did. But at the same time, he looked like he would snap at her if she dared push on.

The final decision was not easy for her.

"F-fine. I-I'll go back to bed then. And you better talk to me about this tomorrow! If you don't, I'll make sure Nora puts you through one of her rough training schedules!" Ruby said, puffing out her cheek in fake anger and she stomped up the stairs.

Despite that, Jaune couldn't help but smile at the young girls attitude. She was always like this, bless her innocent heart. But, she couldn't help him.

Nobody could. The only way, would be to bring back Pyrrha. But, he could only dream. After all...

No magic in the world can raise the dead.

 ** _"How sure are you about that, Arc?"_**

A woman's smooth voice whispered in his mind. His eyes widened in surprise at the sudden presence. He began to look around, only to see nothing, aside the training equipment that their temporary home here in Mistral came with.

Suddenly, he heard some sort of clicking coming from behind him. He slowly turned around, and was pretty freaked out at what he saw. It was some kind of weird Grimm. It had six long tentacles that had spears on their tips. Its head was a sphere made of glass, but it had a weird black mist inside the sphere-head. On the sides of the sphere were the trademark bones that the Grimm were covered by.

It slowly came close to Jaune, though it didn't seem to posses any kind of real threat. He could easily take the thing down in one blow, unless its tentacles managed to wrap around him. So he still had to be cautious.

 ** _"You have nothing to fear Jaune Arc. I come only bearing an olive branch. I have only come to talk, not fight."_** The woman's voice came out of the Grimm that was levitating in front of Jaune. It sent a shiver down his spine.

"W-what do you want with me? H-how can a Grimm talk?" Jaune stuttered out, cursing at himself whilst doing so. He couldn't show that he was scared, to a Grimm of all things.

There was a soft chuckle.

 ** _"Let me introduce myself. Ozpin must have told you a lot about me, i figure?"_** The woman asked rhetorically.

Jaune's eyes widened.

"You're... you're Salem."

He could feel the woman smile.

 ** _"You would be correct, Arc. I am Salem. Queen of the Grimm."_** She said, the Grimm letting out a few clicks.

Jaune gulped and put his hand on the hilt of his sword. Of course, Salem let out another chuckle at the boy. She could smell his fear like she was drinking Sweet Nectar. It was intoxicating, and in a good way. Never the less, she held back the urge to kill the boy right then.

"W-what do you want with me? Why are you h-here?" Jaune asked, the fear inside him quickly growing.

 ** _"As i said, i came to talk."_** She said.

"Came to talk about w-what?" He asked back, tightening his hold on the hilt of the sword.

 ** _"I just so happen to be in the area, after you and your friends meddled with my plans and stole the Relic from me, and i just so happen to smell the depression coming out of you. So, i came to ask. Why are you depressed?"_** Salem asked, fake concern in her voice.

Jaune allowed a small growl to escape his throat.

"You already know what's wrong. You're the one that ordered the whole thing. You're the one Cinder was following all along!" Jaune couldn't help but to raise his voice a notch as he was done talking.

Despite that, Jaune heard her chuckle in amusement.

 ** _"I'm afraid i don't know what you're talking about. Would you like to enlighten me?"_** She said, the Grimm in front of Jaune clicking a few more times in amusement, like it was laughing at him.

Jaune clenched and bared his teeth, the grip on his sword so strong that his hand could bleed once more.

"You're the one that took Pyrrha from us! From me! You and that bitch Cinder! Cinder is already dead, how long will it take for that to happen to you?!" Jaune shouted, finally unsheathing his sword and extending his shield.

A few tense moments of silence passed before the clicking of the Grimm began once more.

 ** _"What if i told you she wasn't gone?"_** She asked.

Jaune looked at the Grimm, anger still radiating out of him, but with enough self-control.

"What are you saying?" He couldn't help but ask.

 ** _"What if i told you that your dear lady friend still has a chance of coming back?" She explained._**

This almost caused Jaune to drop his shield and sword, but thankfully for him, he held on to them.

"A-are you trying to make fun of me? This all a sick, twisted game to you?! Pyrrha's dead! No amount of want, no amount of love and certainly no amount of magic can bring back the dead! So stop messing with me!" Jaune shouted.

Salem only chuckled at the amount of misery oozing off the poor boy.

 ** _"And if i told you that there was a form of magic out there that could resurrect the dead?"_** She said.

"No such thing is possible!" Jaune said back.

 ** _"Boy, you live in a world where Maidens exist, a man that has been cursed by two gods to walk Remnant until the day he bring me to justice lives, where ancient Relics that possess unyielding power exist as a trial left by the two gods, and many more that you will all learn as you traverse through this world. Anything is possible."_** Salem said.

Jaune's eyes widened as he realized there may be some truth in her words.

"Alright, lets say i believe whatever nonsense you're saying. How do i know that you're not trying to pull a fast one on me? How do i know you're not trying to trick me?" Jaune asked, pointing his sword towards the Grimm.

Salem hummed and responded.

 ** _"Foolish child, what would i have to gain by just tricking only one of you? If i wanted to truly manipulate you, i would have brought not only your entire team into this meeting, but the entirety of the Silver Eyed Warriors team as well. I don't have anything to gain, nor do i have to lose. I just feel like helping a lost man find his way once more."_** Salem said, though Jaune couldn't help but imagine a smile on her lips.

"Alright... and we say again that i believe all this resurrection nonsense. How would that work?" Jaune asked as he sheathed his blade and crossed his arms over his chest.

Salem chuckled once more.

 ** _"That, is what the Relic of Creation for."_**

 ** _And we're done with the first chapter of this story. I hope you guys enjoy what i wrote. So, until next time, ill see ya when you're older, don't go changing_**


	2. The Witch's Promise

_**Sup guys? Welcome to another chapter of Whatever the Cost. First off, I'd like to apologize for taking so long with the chapter. Time hasn't been my friend. Plus, military has been tiring lately. But, none of that. We had a decent amount of reviews and I'd like to answer them.**_

 _ **/**_

 _ **Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov: Yo man. Been a while, huh? Glad that you like the story so far, and of course Broken Beyond Repair. Which I haven't updated in two years now. Being too rough is kinda what'll make this story work. It's how BBR works, and it's how I want this story to work. Also, I checked about Weiss, thanking Jaune, but I didn't find anything. But, glad that you like what I've been writing so far. I'm sure you'll enjoy whatever else I'm cooking up.**_

 _ **Guest: Maybe I am taking this a bit too far, but to me this is a what-if scenario. This story is about putting Jaune in a situation that could bring Pyrrha back, and he'll be doing whatever it takes to bring her back. So, sorry to say, but I ain't deleting this story anytime soon.**_

 _ **Stratos263: Glad you like the start. Well, you'll have to wait and see.**_

 _ **Nighty: Glad you think so.**_

 _ **Patriot-112: Could be empty, or it could be the truth. Well, maybe not this chapter, but it'll come.**_

 _ **Guest: I could let Pyrrha stay dead. We'll have to see.**_

 _ **MashupMan2100: Huh, not a lot of people that are fans of the Star Wars prequels. And about your questions, 1) She will at some point. 2) They will make an agreement, but you'll see once you read the chapter. 3) Maybe she will. But, let me say that Jaune does hold a bit of resentment on Ozpin.**_

 _ **Steelrain66: Glad to see that you like the story and that you'll be sticking around.**_

 _ **Pharos666: Well, we'll have to see about Pyrrha, won't we? And with the different Jaune routes that I can take, it does make it all the more interesting. About capitalizing the I's, I was typing on my phone, so it didn't automatically capitalize them. Now that I'm typing on the PC, it seems to be doing the job.**_

 _ **Ouroborosdragon: Glad you find the story interesting. I haven't seen Arrow, so I wouldn't know how to base it off Slade Wilson. I also don't know about the Hallucination part, but I'll think about it. Pyrrha, like I said, we'll see. She could come back, or she couldn't. You'll have to wait and see. I'll make sure though that I can keep drawing you in with my story.**_

 _ **And that is all the reviews for this chapter. Now, let's start with the next one, shall we?**_

 _ **Chapter 2: The Witch's promise.**_

"The Relic of Creation?" Jaune asked, raising a brow.

" _ **Yes. The Relic that is hidden within the Academy in Atlas. The only problem that we have, is that the dear General has closed off the borders. But, I am sure that Qrow can find a way to get you inside."**_ Salem said, the Seer Grimm giving a few more clicks.

"We? I don't remember agreeing into anything that you've said. What you've been saying so far sounds more like a speculation rather than the truth." Jaune said, crossing his arms and glaring at the Grimm.

Salem let out a low chuckle.

" _ **To your young, inexperienced eyes that may be the case. But, I assure you Arc, that what I say is no speculation. I have been alive for centuries. I have seen it all happen before."**_ Salem said.

"And what, you think I'm just gonna take your word for it? Blindly decide to follow whatever you say to me without proof? I'm not an idiot, Salem." Jaune growled out the words, his hand going back to grab the hilt of Crocea Mors.

Salem stayed quiet for a small while, a sigh being heard soon after.

" _ **Very well then. It seems I cannot convince you. Seems like you do not want to see your loved one ever again. Such a shame."**_ Salem said, the Seer Grimm turning around and levitating towards the stairs.

Jaune's eyes widened as he saw the Grimm levitate away. For him, time seemed to slow down. He felt like this was the only chance he had of bringing Pyrrha back. And he was letting it slip from his hands. He clenched his teeth, struggling to make a decision. On one hand, there was the chance he could see Pyrrha again. Big chance or small, he didn't know. And that was one of his problems. If he agreed though, then it would mean doing Salem's bidding. And from what he's heard from Ozpin, it didn't sound very good.

With eyes closed tight and trembling hands, Jaune Arc finally made his decision.

"Wait!"

The Grimm stopped in its tracks. Slowly, it turned around and levitated back to where it was before.

They stared at each other for what seemed to be an eternity, the only sound in the room being Jaune's heavy breathing and the Grimm's occasional clicks.

"I'll… I'll do it. I'll listen to what you have to say. But, on one condition. Leave my friends out of this. Don't send anyone after them. You can do whatever you want with me. Just… leave them alone… Please." Jaune said, his voice trembling with regret at what he was doing.

Salem laughed loudly, causing Jaune to flinch and tremble a bit. His hands clenched into fists, as he thought he made one of the biggest mistakes in his life.

" _ **Foolish boy. Ozpin clearly hasn't explained to you who I am. Let's make one thing clear, Arc. I am the one who gives the orders. I am the one who names the conditions. If I tell you to go in and out clean, you do it. If I tell you to cover yourself with their blood, you do it. Do I make myself clear, boy?"**_ Salem seethed, the Seer's tentacles extending so that each sharp end was pointing at Jaune.

Jaune could only swallow, his heart beating faster that he could think. He has betrayed his friends. Their trust.

"Alright. I'm not going to give the orders or conditions. You are." Jaune repeated as he fists shook.

" _ **Good. Now, you're orders, are to bring the two relics to me. But, you're also going to pretend. You'll act as like we are not working together. Just like Leonardo. Do I make myself clear?"**_ Salem said.

"Yes… Ma'am." Jaune said, the words leaving a disgusting taste in his mouth.

" _ **Very well then. I will be taking my leave then. Make sure that you follow my orders, but most importantly… Do not get caught. I will be keeping in touch with you, Arc."**_ Salem said as the Seer Grimm made its way up the stairs and disappeared into the darkness.

Just as Salem disappeared, Jaune's legs finally gave out. He let out shaky breaths, as tears rolled down his face.

What the hell has he done?

 _You're a damn coward Jaune Arc. A failure of a leader. Saving your own worthless skin whilst dooming your friends to Salem's claws._

He was a failure of a leader. Not only that, he was ratting out his friends to Salem. Their damn enemy.

 _It's okay. Everything will be okay. You'll see Pyrrha again. You'll get to hold her again. Pick where you both tragically left off. Just hope… that you're doing the right thing. And that Salem isn't lying to you._

That was the worst part. He believed every word she said to him.

/

/

Jaune's eyes slowly opened as the light pierced through his window. He groaned and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. He realized that he was still wearing his armor, his sword strapped to his hip as well. How tired was he last night?

Then it dawned to him. It wasn't because he was tired. It was because he made a deal with the devil last night. He remembered. The guilt hit him once more at what he was doing.

 _Pyrrha would be so disappointed in me…_

He shook his head. After all, she would do the same for him.

Right?

There was a knock on his door, causing him to jump slightly.

"Who is it?" Jaune called out, his voice raspy as he had just now woken up.

"Morning Jauney! You coming down for breakfast? Ren made pancakes! With syrup!" Nora said behind the door.

"Yea, I'll be down in a few. Just let me get dressed." He said back with a smile, even though she couldn't see.

"Alrighty! Don't take too long Fearless Leader!" She said back. He heard her walk away and sighed.

 _Fearless Leader? More like a Cowardly Leader…_

He stood up from the bed and took off his armor. He unstrapped the sword from his hip and set onto the bed. He quickly stripped out of his clothes and wore another long jean and a plain shirt.

He walked out his room and turned to the right to where the stairs where.

"Morning Jaune!" A female high pitched voice called out from behind him. He turned and saw Ruby, still in her pajamas.

"Morning Ruby? How are you?" He asked with a small smile.

"Eh, I'm doing good, considering that after our little talk, I couldn't sleep that well!" She said, giving him a glare that he couldn't help but rub the back of his head to.

"Ah yea, about that… I'm sorry about the way I acted. It's just that… I'm a little on edge. Ya know, with all that's happening it's kinda hard not to be." Jaune said with a sigh, speaking both truth but lying as well.

After all, it wasn't the only this bothering him.

"Well, yea I kinda did realize that. But, it's not the only thing that's bothering you, is it?" Ruby asked rhetorically.

Jaune cursed inwardly. She knew him so well. Lying to her would be more difficult than he thought.

He still couldn't believe he was actually doing this.

"Yea… there is something else that's bothering me. But it's not something I want to talk about yet." He said, hoping that she'd drop the subject.

"Jaune… if this is about Pyrrha, I want you to know that… well, I kinda know about the video you have of her on your scroll." Ruby said slowly, looking nervous.

Jaune's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He didn't think that she, or anyone else for that matter, would find out. He was really district about it as well.

But, since she brought it up, he decided to go along with it.

"How… When did you find out? How long have you known?" Jaune asked, taking a few steps towards her.

"Well… I've known for a while. Like, ever since we left that one village where we helped deal with a Geist. I woke up after a nightmare and walked in the forest for a bit, since I found your bedroll empty. I heard Pyrrha's voice and found you training. I… didn't know what to say at the time so I left. It felt wrong to leave you there… to suffer by yourself." She said her eyes sad as she refused to meet his eyes.

Jaune stared at her, taking a few more steps towards her, getting close to an arm's reach from her. He reached and patted her head with his hand. She looked up at him in surprise, not expecting this gesture.

"Ruby… It's alright. I'm not mad, or disappointed at you. In fact, I'm a bit relieved. If there was anyone that I'd want to know about the video, it'd be you. But, I'm sorry to say that you can't help me. No one can. Pyrrha… she was my light. A light that's been extinguished. No matter how hard I try… I won't be able to get over her death." Jaune said, a depressed and tired smile on his lips.

"But… Jaune, you can't give up." Ruby said, she was about to continue, but Jaune cut her off.

"I'm sorry Ruby… But I can. And I have."

Jaune turned around and walked towards the stairs, not bothering to see the distraught look Ruby was giving him.

 _I'm sorry, Ruby. I've tried to get over it. But, I couldn't. Regret can consume a guy so deeply, that it'll blacken his heart and swallow his soul. My regret… is not stopping her._

 _ **And that's chapter two of Whatever the Cost. Took a while for me to release it, but I think it was worth the wait. Tell me what you guys think by leaving a review. So, until next time, don't go changing.**_


	3. Road to Argus and Deep Thoughts

**Sup guys? Welcome to another chapter of Whatever the Cost. Sorry for not updating in a while, military was kinda rough these past few months. Could have updated on Christmas, but I was just spending it relaxing with friends and family. Anywho, let's answer the reviews.**

 **MashupMan2100: Glad you liked the chapter. If he ever does come across Hazel, then they most definitely will have a conversation.**

 **BadBatch: Very true.**

 **Patriot-112: Nice to see you post another review. And that they are.**

 **Vampiricmalice: Oh that it will. Thing are only getting more interesting.**

 **Stratos263: And they will continue to do so.**

 **Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov: Sup man? Thing about Jaune being easily persuaded, I know in the show he wouldn't do any of that, but remember that this story isn't the series. The choices I make with Jaune's character are mine to make. About the Lionheart bit, I know and so does the Jaune of this story knows, how he might end up if he defies Salem. It would be dumb not to know. The leverage she has over him? Absolutely nothing. Sometimes you don't need any sort of blackmail or leverage in order to make someone do something, or somethings, for you. But, for my Jaune, just the mere promise of being able to see Pyrrha again, is enough to make him to whatever it takes to bring her back. He's desperate, he's filled with anger and grief and he doesn't want to waste the opportunity, even if it might me lies. The mindset you need to have? Being on your last legs, facing something that you know you can't win. It makes you want to give up. And here, Jaune has already given up.**

 **roger9481: Big words there mate. But, you never know…**

 **Josh Spicer: That's because it's the only thing that's driving him. True, in the show it's what he's all about, but here it's completely different. I'm making him into someone that's filled with too much pain and anger that he can't think clearly anymore. And just the one second thought that what Salem said to him could be true, is enough for him, at least in my story, to make him determined to do whatever he has to in order to get her back.**

 **Guest: It does say in the summery that it's a villain Jaune kinda story. That means in order for him to be a villain, it means he has to betray his friends and his morals. Whilst it's true that they might have talked off-screen, I'm not so sure. Could have happened or didn't happen, I'm not gonna change the way Jaune acts in the story just because we don't know about what happens off-screen. So, if you don't like it, you're welcome to not read it then.**

 **X3runner: It would be interesting, wouldn't it?**

 **And that's all the reviews from the previous chapter. Now, let's get on with the story.**

 _ **Chapter 3: The trip to Argus and deep thoughts.**_

Jaune let out a heavy sigh as he leaned back in his temporary bed. There were on the train that's going to Argus, so they could get transport from there to Atlas to deliver the Relic of Knowledge to Ironwood.

 _That's their mission. You have a different one._

Jaune shook his head slightly, but couldn't deny his inner thoughts point. That wasn't his mission anymore. It was Ozpin's mission and the rest of his friends'. His mission is to play along and at one point get the Relic of Knowledge and Creation to Salem. How he was going to do that, he had no idea.

 _You'll pull it off. You have a knack of pulling plans and strategies out of your ass. This won't be any different._

It is different. It would mean exposing himself to his friends, officially sealing the deal of betrayal. But, it might be worth it. Getting his partner back is all that matters now.

 _We never talked about that. How do you know if Salem is actually telling the truth? Does the Relic of Creation even work in that way? How do we know, or even her for that matter, how to activate them? I doubt we simply tell it what we want and it creates it. It would be too easy._

He didn't know if she was telling the truth. She could be manipulating him for all he knows. There is some truth to her words though. To his inexperienced eyes, it might not be possible, but for her, who has no doubt lived for many years… she's seen a lot. And seeing means that she knows how to activate them.

 _And how do you know that?_

Again, he didn't. But, that's what he's here for. In the slim chance she doesn't know how to activate them, he could learn how. Ozpin explained what they do, not how to activate them. But, getting an answer out of Ozpin is like trying to make Nora eat something else other

 _Ah, yes. We never quite finished talking about Ozpin. How do you feel about him now?_

He felt the same. He still disliked him for making Pyrrha do something that he knew she couldn't refuse. He didn't think he hated him, because he knew now that he had a solid reason as to why he did it, he just would have preferred it was someone outside their circle of friends. But, he still was a major reason as to why Pyrrha is dead now. He could never forgive him for that.

"Hey Jauney, you doing okay?" He was snapped away from his thoughts when he heard Nora's voice ask him. He looked at her and put on his best smile.

"Doing just fine Nora. Just trying to relax a bit. Maybe take a small nap before we get to Argus. How are you doing?" He asked her, now sitting on the bed instead of lying down.

"Oh, I'm doing fine but it's you I'm worried for. We all are. You haven't been yourself these past few days." Nora said with a small smile, concern evident in her eyes.

Jaune sighed on the inside. Nora was more perceptive than people thought she was. But, he still appreciated that she worried for him. It made him feel warm.

 _Such a darn shame that we have to lie to her. Will she still appreciate you after she learns about what you did?_

Jaune ignored his thoughts, but he couldn't deny them. They were right after all.

"It's nothing you should worry about Nora. Just trying to come to terms with it all. We've been fighting for so long that these chances where we get to lay back and relax are kind of rare now-a-days." Jaune said with a small smile on his lips as he layed back down on the bed.

He looked at her and he could tell that she didn't believe that it was the only thing that was bothering him. Thankfully, she decided not to push the issue.

"Well, alright then. But Jaune, if there is something truly bothering you, you can tell us. We're your teammates. We're family now, us and Team RWBY. Don't try and bottle it up Jaune. You'll only hurt us and yourself more importantly." Nora said as she grabbed his hand, putting one hand over it.

Jaune let a genuine smile this time. She had no idea how much this meant to him. The smile became fake again when he remembered his deal with Salem. The warm feeling was now replaced with regret, sadness and anger.

 _Just as you should feel, you coward…_

"I'll keep that in mind Nora. Now, how about you and me take that nap I mentioned earlier?" Jaune suggested as he slowly pulled his hand away from her.

"Ya got it, Fearless Leader." She said softly as she walked on to her own bed and jumped on to top bunk.

Jaune rolled over so he was face-to-face with the wall. His smile fell completely as he stared at the wall with sadness. He let out a quiet sigh as his eyes began to close.

They snapped open when he felt the train shake, accompanied with growls and roars. He let out a groan as he sat up on his bed and grabbed his weapon. Nora woke Ren up and they also grabbed their equipment and headed into the hallway of the train. They bumped into Oscar soon after.

"What's going on?" Jaune asked.

/

/

Jaune walked in the streets of Argus, alone. It was night and everything could have gone better on their way to Argus. His team managed to get into Argus safely, but they had to separate themselves with Team RWBY. They were outside of any signal outlets, so communication between the two teams was impossible. When they arrived in Argus, Jaune and his team found his sister, Saphron. She and her wife, Terracotta with his nephew Adrian provided a roof over their heads for the time being.

They also tried to convince the Specialist in the Atlas Military Base here in Argus, Cordovan, to lend them a ship so they could get to Atlas, but she refused and threw them out. So, now they were stuck here until Ruby and her team arrived, and Gods know how long that will take.

Jaune sat on a bench and sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. He slowly pulled them down and looked at the ground, his eyes looking very tired. He checked his Scroll and saw that it was almost midnight. He's been out for about three hours now. His sister and his team send him a few messages already, asking when he was going to come back to the house.

He responded saying 'soon.' He groaned as he stood up once more, his legs shaking a bit from the constant walking he did earlier. He stretched a bit, a sigh of satisfaction escaping his throat as he heard a few of his bones crack.

Suddenly, he heard something clicking. He turned his head to the dark alleyway behind him, the noise continuing to invade his ears. He looked to his left, then to his right, noting that nobody was watching him. The streets were empty this late at night.

He slowly made his way inside the alleyway, meeting the source of the familiar clicking. The Seer Grimm.

Jaune groaned in his head. He did not have the energy to deal with Salem. But, what could he do?

" _ **Arc, how goes your mission? I trust that you kept your façade up until now?"**_ Salem asked.

"Well, so far so good. My friends don't suspect a thing. They are worried about my mental health though, so there's that I guess." He said, scratching the back of his head.

" _ **I care not about your health, Arc. I want to know about the mission. Do you have any news to report?"**_ She said with a low growl that made him wince.

"R-Right. We were making our way here, when Manticores' attacked our train. We decoupled the train and separated ourselves from Team RWBY. We have no idea where they are. The Relic is with Ruby." Jaune finished, letting out a breath he was holding.

" _ **Hmm… Interesting. Very well then, I will have one of my Seers search the areas around Argus. Is there anything else you'd like to report?"**_ She asked.

"Nothing else to report. But I do have a question." Jaune decided to ask.

He could see through the Seer that Salem rose a brow, prompting him to continue.

"Can you explain to me how the Relics work? Like, how do they activate? Do I say what I want and it happens or is there some kind of password?" He asked.

" _ **Intriguing. You are smart. Yes, the Relics require a sort of password in order for them to be used in their full capacity. The Relic of Knowledge can be activated by saying the name Jinn. As for the rest, you need not worry yourself about them for now. Your concern should be for Knowledge, and bringing it to me."**_ Salem said, the Seer letting out a few clicks in agreement.

"Well, at least you're more informative than Ozpin…" Jaune said under his breath.

"… _**Did you say Ozpin?"**_ Salem asked in a low, threating tone, making Jaune sweat and gulp loudly.

"Y-Yea. He's the one leading us through all of this. After Cinder killed him at Beacon, his soul merged with a boy named Oscar. He's been with us when we first arrived in Mistral." Jaune said, taking a small step back as he noticed the Seer's ball was becoming darker, making the Grimm shake. He then heard Salem let out s long sigh, the Dark Aura becoming less intense.

" _ **That piece of information should have never been left out, Arc. Repeat the same mistake again, and you will earn yourself the same fate Leonardo had. Am I clear?"**_ She said with a growl, her red eyes flashing through the Seer, causing the Grimm to raise all its tentacles and point them at Jaune.

Jaune gulped and closed his eyes. Small, rushed breaths escaped his lips, his throat extremely dry from how fast he was inhaling and exhaling.

"C-Crystal."

Salem did not respond. The Dark Aura inside the ball became intense again, though a yellow light could be seen from the center of the ball. The Seer moved past him, disappearing from his sight when it turned a corner. He saw a flash of red, but when he checked the Grimm was no longer around.

"By the Gods… what have I gotten myself into?" He asked himself as his knees threatened to give out. But, he managed to stay standing. He walked out the alleyway so he could make his way back to his sister's house, the encounter with Salem fresh on his mind. And it would no doubt stay fresh. It will haunt him until the end of his days.

 _Pyrrha… If you are somehow watching, I hope you're not disappointed in me. I keep telling myself that you would have done the same. But, I have to ask… Would you have gone this far for me?_

 **And that's the end of chapter 3. Hope you guys enjoyed. And until next time, don't go changing.** __


	4. Revelations and Anger

**Sup guys? Welcome to another chapter of Whatever The Cost. Don't really have much to say, so let's just answer the reviews.**

 **roger9481: Dark thoughts there mate. We still don't know if Pyrrha is coming back or not…**

 **Stratos263: It is an interesting thought, isn't it? Will, or will he not hold his end of the bargain? Only time will tell.**

 **Ouroborosdragon: What you propose in interesting. I agree with the fact that him training for six Volumes now is a bit of a stretch, and considering that we haven't seen him fight that much in the recent Volume, well, it doesn't give us a lot to go by. Though at this point, I'm guessing that he would be a few levels behind the rest, but slightly above CRDL. About the rest, I'll keep it in mind. Thanks for the lengthy review man, glad you like the story.**

 **SomberFlight: Very true. It would be boring. Thankfully, I'm not trying to make Jaune into another Leonardo. Him calling himself a coward is just that, his thoughts, grief and doubts overshadowing his normal thought process. I wouldn't say he was at his friends' level JUST yet, but he's getting there. Strong enough to beat Cardin's team, and just enough to give Ren a run for his money.**

 **Patriot-112: You'll see his reaction… in the next chapter. For now, make due with a very pissed off Jaune.**

 **MashupMan2100: Glad you liked the chapter. And you'll see his reaction in the next chapter.**

 **And that's all the reviews from last chapter. Now, let's get on with the story.**

 **/**

 **/**

 _ **Chapter 4: Revelations and Anger.**_

Jaune stretched his limbs as he was laying on the couch, watching random nonsense on TV. He arrived late last night after his meeting with Salem, also getting a bit of an earful from his dear sister. Sleep didn't come to him easy last night, so the dark circles under his eyes were noticeable. Saphron tried to convince him to sleep a little longer, but he refused, saying that he wasn't feeling tired. The look of worry that she gave him after he walked into the living room broke his heart.

 _Lying to your sister as well? How far have you fallen…?_

Jaune shook his head, trying to swallow his guilt. He wasn't successful in his attempt as his eyes drooped down, looking at the wooden floor in shame. He let out a long sigh, raising his head and looked back at the TV. His fingers found his eyes, slowly rubbing them so he could get any signs of sleep away. He let out a yawn and stretched once more. His position wasn't helping, so he sat up and let his feet touch the wooden floor. He sighed and closed the TV, standing up and heading to the stairs.

"Jaune, can we talk for a second?" A male voice asked him. He looked and saw Ren coming out the kitchen, wearing a pink apron, his hair tied into his signature style from the Beacon days. He felt a pang of sadness at the thought of his school and what he had lost in there, but he didn't allow it to cross his face.

"Uh, sure. Is there anything wrong?" He asked as he walked into the kitchen with him. Nora wasn't with him, but he vaguely remembered that she went with Terra and Saphron to get groceries.

"I'm not the one you should be asking. More like you should be asking yourself that question, us as well." Ren said, causing Jaune to flinch a bit.

"Ren, we talked about this. I'm fine, just a bit stressed. I'm worried about Team RWBY and how we're going to get to Atlas since that Specialist denied us." Jaune said, crossing his arms.

"And so are we. But, we know that they'll make it here. They can take care of themselves just fine, just as we will find a way to get to Atlas. But, I don't think that this is what's truly bothering you." Ren said, flipping over the pancake he was making.

Jaune swallowed a lump that was forming in his throat. Of course Ren would try and force an answer out of him. And he made the mistake of not keeping in mind that he was the most observant one on his team.

 _You really need to learn how to read people. He has been glancing at you after Haven. He's been keeping a close eye on you._

Jaune didn't know if he believed what his head was telling the truth or not, but it wouldn't surprise him if Ren was actually doing these things without him noticing. He wasn't called the Ninja of the group for no reason.

Ren noticed his silence and sighed. He turned and flipped the pancake onto the plate, setting the pan back onto the stove.

"Jaune, I know that Pyrrha's death is still weighing heavily on you. I miss her as well, so does Nora and the rest of our group. But, you sneaking off, watching that video and 'training' isn't doing you any favor. It's only torturing you. I'm not saying you should delete the video, but at the very least, stop torturing yourself with it." Ren said, his eyes set on Jaune's as he watched the blondes' eyes widen at the mention of the video. He saw him clench his fists and grit his teeth in order to keep calm. Eventually, he let out a long sigh, seemingly calming down for the moment.

"How did you find out about that?" Jaune asked in a low and cold tone.

"You aren't as careful as you'd like to think. I woke up one night and heard you training. I heard Pyrrha's voice as well, so I decided to investigate. Ruby also told us a few days before we left Mistral. We all know about it Jaune. She also told us that you gave up in letting go of Pyrrha's death, even if Cinder is now dead." Ren said, carefully trying to read Jaune's expression. It didn't change, though he could see the cold exterior melting into a more exhausting one.

Ren felt sorry for his brother. He couldn't imagine what he'd do if Nora was the one that decided to go up the tower, or even if she died against the Nuckelavee. His hands shook at the thought, but he shook himself off such thoughts. After all, he should be focusing on Jaune's mental health right now.

"I… I'm just so tired, Ren. I'm tired of feeling this way. All this anger. All this pain. All this sorrow. I've had it with me ever since Pyrrha pushed me into that locker. Every time I try and make due with the fact that she's gone… I just can't. A large part of me doesn't want to make peace with it." Jaune said, his palm rubbing one of his eyes, showing the amount of exhaustion he felt.

Ren understood where he was coming from. Originally, he didn't want to make peace with his families' death as well. He wanted to shape the trauma into revenge. But, Nora was there to snap him back into reality whenever he got such thoughts. Jaune has the same help, but refuses to accept it. As would any person do in his case. People often like to suffer alone.

"Then why not come to us? Why suffer all by yourself? We can get through this as a team. You have not only our support, but Team RWBY's support as well. We can all lend a hand, but that's only if you open up to us. So please, I'm not asking you as a teammate, I'm asking you as your brother. Let us help you." Ren said, putting his hands on Jaune's shoulder.

Jaune swallowed audibly, his eyes shut tightly when he felt them sting. He opened his mouth to say something, anything but nothing came out. He closed his mouth tightly when a sob threatened to escape him.

"I…"

He finally let out, hesitantly. If he were to open up right now, it would mean opening up to everything. Everything that's happened since after the Battle of Haven. His cooperation with Salem. The plan to steal the Relic. Everything.

 _Do it Jaune. They'll understand. Maybe you could use this to your advantage and come up with a plan together._

Would they understand though? Ren and Nora might understand, but he wasn't sure about the rest. Ruby might give him the benefit of the doubt, but her other three teammates would surely want his blood. Qrow would most definitely make his death a slow and painful one. And he didn't even want to think what Ozpin would do.

If he did end up revealing what's been truly going on, it meant losing the only possible chance of bringing Pyrrha back, and also losing whatever friendships he had built.

If he didn't though, then he was just prolonging the inevitable. Plus, the anxiety of when that day comes might kill him even before that time.

All in all, not the best choices. But he unfortunately had to make one.

"I… I have been…" Jaune said once more.

"We're back!" The loud voice of Nora pierced their ears when the door opened. They both jumped from the shock of the sudden shout, but regained their composure rather quickly.

"Welcome back. Need any help with those bags?" Ren asked as Terra closed the door with her foot.

"No, we're good. Thanks for the offer though. Did you take that nap I mentioned earlier Jaune?" Saphron asked her brother, her concern evident on her face with a frown.

Jaune yawned on que.

"No, I didn't. Was watching TV for a while. I was starting to get sleepy so I was going to take the offer. Ren asked for a bit of help in the kitchen." Jaune said.

Ren gave Jaune a disapproving glare, but Jaune's eyes locked into his, pleading not to say anything. Ren sighed mentally, giving in.

"I needed him to work the pancake whilst I was looking for the syrup. Seems, you were out so I was waiting until you came back. We talked for a while whilst we were waiting." Ren said.

Jaune let his shoulders fall, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Well, you're in luck, cause we brought some. I can help you with the rest. Jaune, why don't you go and get some extra sleep? You look like a zombie." His sister said, giving him a small smile.

He smiled back at her and nodded, muttering a 'thank you' to his sister. He went up the stairs and entered his room. He slipped into the covers and shut his eyes.

 _That was a close one, wasn't it? I feel that the conversation with Ren isn't over though. We need to step up in our acting department. Wouldn't want them to know before we actually betray them now, would we?_

Jaune felt a shudder going up his spine as sleep finally came to him.

/

/

Well… Team RWBY did indeed find them. They were all safe. Their morale did seem to be low though. Jaune didn't ask at the time. He figured it was just exhaustion from their small journey.

It was after they all went to the Military Base that things took a turn for the worse.

They learned of what Ozpin, or Ozma, was hiding from them. That he was a Salem's husband. That the two brothers made Salem Immortal.

That Ozpin didn't have a plan to stop her.

To say that Jaune was pissed would be an understatement.

"RAGHHH!" He punched the wall, cracking it a bit.

"Jaune!" Ruby scolded him, but he ignored her.

"Everything we did was for nothing!" Jaune shouted as he walked away from the wall, stomping his way to the right.

"Come on, not everything." Blake tried to reason with him, but her own voice came unconvincing.

"Really? Cause it sure does sound like it!" Nora said, putting her face in her hands.

"I, umm…." Blake tried to come up with a reasonable argument, but wasn't successful.

"If Salem can't be killed, then how are we supposed to win this?" Ren asked, voice calm but you could tell he was angry.

Ren received no answer to his question. They all averted their gaze as soon as his eyes found theirs.

 _Hmph, we should have expected this. Ozpin is not meant to be trusted. He never was. But, why are we angry? Don't we also have a few skeletons in the closet as well?_

Jaune grunted silently.

"Wow… great plan everyone." Jaune said as he turned around to stare at the window.

"Look, none of this is great, but we're not the bad guys here." Oscar tried to reason as well.

Jaune's eyes widened in rage. He swore he heard something snap inside him as soon as he heard Oscar talk.

 _I don't see any bad guys. I only see a_ _ **MONSTER**_ _in front of me._

"Are we sure about that?" Jaune asked quietly, but the others heard him loud and clear, their eyes going towards the blonde knight.

"…What?" Oscar asked, not quite hearing him.

"He's in YOUR head, isn't he? Did you already know about this?" Jaune asked as he slowly and menacingly walked towards the boy.

"He didn't know any of it!" Weiss tried to calm him down, but her voice fell on deaf ears. He grabbed Oscar by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the wall, earning a grunt from Oscar.

"How much longer can we even trust him?!" Jaune asked, his grip on Oscar tightening.

"Jaune!" This time Yang tried. She was ignored as well.

"How do we even know it's really him?! What if we've been talking to that liar this whole time?!" Jaune asked, slamming Oscar to the wall one more time. The boy looked at Jaune with a terrified expression.

 _Good. You should be scared._

"JAUNE!" Ruby shouted this time, causing Jaune to snap his head towards him with a snarl. Ruby didn't back down though.

"You're… you're seriously trying to defend him? After everything he did? After everything he took from us?" Jaune asked, his eyes never losing their fury.

"I'm not defending him Jaune! You and I both know that Oscar doesn't have anything to do with this! Oscar himself didn't know about it until recently! So stop falsely blaming him and let him go!" Ruby said her expression stern.

Jaune growled but looked back at the terrified boy in his hands. He removed one hand from his collar, clenching it into a fist. He punched the wall next to Oscar's head, giving it another dent. His punch missed by mere centimeters.

"Jaune!" Ruby tried to remove his hand from Oscar, but Jaune pushed her away with ease.

"You said your piece Ruby. Let me say mine." Jaune said, his voice coming out in a combination of a growl and a snarl. The way he talked was shocking to everyone in the room. They didn't expect their friend, the always noble Jaune Arc to lose himself like this.

It was honestly kind of frightening.

"I know you're in there somewhere, Ozpin. So, I want you to hear me loud and clear. You are the reason why Pyrrha is dead. You are the reason I continue to suffer. And now, learning here that Salem is not only immortal, you don't even have a plan to stop her? It just makes all the effort we did go from one-hundred to zero. All of that… it just makes Pyrrha's sacrifice go for nothing. I won't rest Ozpin. I won't rest until I see you dead and gone. No more bullshit reincarnations. Just an empty shell of the man you used to be. And if you even have the audacity to apologize… your empty apologies mean nothing to me. The only way I could forgive you, is that if you brought Pyrrha back from the dead. But life doesn't work like that, does it? " Jaune said, letting go of Oscar's collar, the boy falling flat on his ass.

"I'm going out. Don't bother looking for me." Was the only thing Jaune said as he left the house, slamming the door behind him.

 **And there we go, end of chapter 4. I really enjoyed writing this one. I hope you all enjoy it. If you have any criticism then feel free to share. So for now, I'll see you all next time, don't go changing.**


	5. Ghost in the Rain

**Sup guys? Welcome to another chapter of Whatever the Cost. Sorry for the long wait, the past three months have been hectic in military cause of all the new Recruits. Bright side, not long left until I get discharged so that's a plus. Any who, let's answer the reviews.**

 **Stratos263: True that.**

 **Malfe: Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for following and favoring.**

 **Guest: Glad to see that I peeked your interests. The memorial, you'll have to read to find out what happens. And yes, as I mentioned to a previous reviewer, Jaune will at least be on the same level as Team CRDL and maybe Ren. I can make Jaune feel a bit of anger towards Pyrrha for what she did, but it won't be because she didn't believe in him or because she didn't confess to him earlier. Though interesting idea. Thanks for the review and I'll see you soon.**

 **Patriot-112: Same here man. Thankfully, Fan Fiction is here to make what we wish happened, happen.**

 **343: We'll have to see about what happens.**

 **Chrome94: Yea, passive aggression doesn't suit Jaune's character. Especially since he was angrier with Cinder.**

 **MashupMan2100: You'll have to see about the memorial in the chapter.**

 **Ouroborosdragon: Glad to see you enjoyed the chapter. Don't know about taking Salem taking Jaune under her wing. Everyone is a pawn in the chess game that Salem and Ozpin are playing. Unless Jaune is a reincarnation of one of Salem's daughters, then I doubt she'll be willing to take him under her wing.**

 **Tanjiro: Glad you enjoyed my version of Jaune's anger.**

 **axel100: The answer is simple. There's a lot of people on the train. A few of them are bound to be feeling something negative. Plus, Jaune wasn't exactly in a happy mood at the time. Also, I don't think Salem cares about it. If by chance Jaune died on the train, she would only lose a replaceable pawn.**

 **And that's every review from the last chapter. I left a reviewers comment out, only because it was answered before I could get to it. Any who, on with the chapter.**

 _ **Chapter 5: Ghost in the Night.**_

Jaune walked the streets of Argus with quick steps. His eyes were wide and his lips were parted, showing his clenched teeth. People that were walking in his direction quickly moved out of his way, fearing that he would snap and attack them. Jaune could care less at the moment. His anger was directed to someone else.

 _All of that effort, wasted for nothing. We left our family to fight in this war. We shouldn't have even bothered. We could have stayed at home, sulking in peace but no, let's follow Ruby through an impossible crusade that she knew nothing about._

Jaune shook his head with a growl. It wasn't Ruby's fault, not in the slightest. It was Ozpin's and Qrow's fault for mixing them in all of this. Hell, Qrow was almost as bad as Ozpin dare he say. He used his own niece and manipulated her into coming this far. He knew that she wouldn't say no. He knew the right buttons to press.

 _Makes you wonder… If Ruby wasn't born with those silver eyes of her, would they even bother with her? Ozpin would let her be an ordinary student, not even bothering to help her in any way shape or form. And Qrow would let her stay in bed and try to make her forget that Beacon ever fell._

Again, Jaune shook his head. Even if she didn't have silver eyes, Ruby would still have picked everyone up and dragged them with her. That's who she was. She is the embodiment of hope after all.

 _She didn't drag us along. She gave us the courage to follow her._

Jaune came to a stop, his lips closing and hiding his snarl, face set in a frown as he remembered what he said to her in Kuroyuri. Why was he trying to blame Ruby, his best friend and partner in this whole adventure, for something Qrow manipulated her into doing?

"I need to calm down. I'm not thinking straight." Jaune muttered to himself. He walked to a bench and sat down, elbows on his knees and head hunched down. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to dispel the anger from his mind.

 _We should think about what we should be doing know._

Jaune scoffed at his thoughts. What was there to think about? It's not possible to win this war.

 _You misunderstand. And you forgot. You are working for Salem now. You don't hold ties to Ozpin. You can technically do whatever you want. You could attack Ozpin when he's most vulnerable. You could steal the Relic under everyone's noses and give it to Salem. The world is your canvas now._

Jaune placed a hand on his forehead and clenched his teeth. In his anger, he managed to forget his alliance with Salem. He shook his head and sighed. He couldn't escape this hell after all.

The wind picked up suddenly, a few brown colored leafs being picked up with the sudden gust. Jaune looked up with wide eyes as a sudden chill went up his spine. He didn't know why, but he felt the urge to follow those leafs, believing that they would lead him somewhere.

And they did.

Jaune stopped, his eyes wide and mouth open in shock and grief. The wind blew once more, his partner's sash blowing in the direction of the wind.

Said partner was standing in front of him, in the form of a statue.

He slowly walked forwards and knelled in front of a plaque than had words written on it.

 _ **In memory of Pyrrha Nikos**_

 _ **One of the many students who fought valiantly at the Fall of Beacon.**_

Jaune stood back up and looked at the statue. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He looked down and closed his eyes, trying to gather himself. He tried once more, but sighed once more as no words were willing to come out. He turned to leave.

" _ **Already planning to leave? I thought you would have at least something to say to your dear partner."**_ A familiar voice said in a mocking tone.

Jaune turned and came face to face with the Seer Grimm, Salem's face being in the middle of the ball.

Jaune clenched his fists and teeth, looking directly into the Seer.

"You took her from me."

" _ **That, is where you are incorrect, Arc. I didn't kill your girlfriend. Cinder was the one that took her life. Whilst true, I gave the order, it wasn't for her. It was for Ozpin. Whatever other casualties, were done by her hand. Whatever feelings are clouding you, take them out on Cinder."**_ Salem said with a chuckle.

Jaune scoffed.

"Would it matter now? She's dead now."

" _ **Did you see her body?"**_ Salem asked.

"What? No, I didn't. Yang said her mum killed her." Jaune said.

" _ **Then her mother is a bigger fool than anticipated. Cinder is still alive. I have been watching her from afar. She is also trying to find a way to get to Atlas."**_

Jaune's head snapped towards Salem once more, eyes wide and body shaking.

"W-What?! How is that possible?" Jaune asked, his voice rising at what Salem told him.

" _ **While she may be a broken shell of a woman, she is extremely resilient. She won't die that easily. Plus, she is a Maiden. Her powers exceed that of a Human or Faunus."**_ Salem explained.

Jaune stared at the Grimm in silence, too shocked to respond. He then grunted in anger and turned his head away from the Seer, looking back at Pyrrha's statue.

 _First Ozpin's true face, now we learn that Cinder is still alive. Today is just not our day…_

" _ **What ails you, Arc? I doubt you decided to go on a walk because you felt like it. No, I can smell your rage. It's… intoxicating."**_ Salem said with a small grin.

"Why do you care?"

" _ **I do not. But, I do want my servants to be focused on the plan, instead of wallowing in their own anger and misery."**_

Jaune looked away from the statue and looked at Salem once more. He sighed and looked back at the statue.

"We learned everything. When they crashed their train, Team RWBY activated the Relic of Knowledge and asked it what Ozpin was hiding. It told them everything. What got to me… was that he didn't even have a plan all this time. It just made everything we worked for go to waste. Everyone that died, their sacrifice didn't matter all this time. I just… don't know what to do anymore." Jaune said, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

" _ **Then why don't you leave? Leave all of this behind and start a new life elsewhere?"**_

"You kiddin'? If I did, or in this situation try, then Ozpin would kill me for knowing too much and in fear of blabbing to anyone, not that anyone would believe me. You, you would send Grimm or one of your lackeys to hunt me down for betraying you." Jaune said.

Salem chuckled.

" _ **Whilst what you said about me is indeed true, Ozpin would not kill you. We are both terrible people, but he is the lesser. He may be manipulative, but he does care, even If he doesn't show it. He is just a man, burdened with a responsibility the Gods gave to him."**_ Salem said with a small nostalgic smile.

"For someone who supposedly hates him, you seem to be taking his side on this one." Jaune said.

" _ **I am merely stating the truth. It doesn't have anything to do with taking sides."**_

"If he is the lesser of two evils, then why couldn't he tell me that there's a way to bring her back? Why keep it under wraps?"

" _ **That, I cannot answer. Only Ozpin himself has that answer. He probably wants to keep the Relic's powers a secret so that you mortals don't misuse it. Creation always had a heavy influence on those that try to get their hands on it. The possibility of creating another person or object that you've always desired is highly selfish and somewhat greedy."**_ Salem said with a hand on her chin.

Jaune was going to respond, but he closed his mouth again, knowing that he would be wrong.

" _ **This has been an interesting conversation, Arc. I must take my leave unfortunately. Do try and keep your façade for a while longer. Our goal is near in completion."**_

A bright flash of dark red light filled his peripheral vision. He turned his head slightly and saw that she was gone.

He sighed and looked at the statue once more. A small sad smile made its way to his lips as he reminisced about the times they both had at Beacon. The smile fell easily as he remembered how she pushed him into the locker and sent him away.

He wanted to be angry at her. He wanted to yell at her for even doing something like that, especially after she kissed him.

But he couldn't. He just couldn't find it in him to be angry at her. Because this was the result of it. Her own statue. Just like a true hero.

 _Something we always wanted to be. How the times changed from then. From trying to be a hero, to trying to be a villain._

Jaune didn't try to correct himself this time. He knew his head was stating the truth. He sighed one long sigh, turning around and preparing to walk away, eyes closed.

"Don't do it."

His eyes snapped wide open as he heard a chillingly familiar voice speak. He looked up and saw a woman standing across from him, wearing a brown coat with white fur on the wrists and neck. Her red hair was short, barely reaching her neck and she wore dark red glasses that brought out her emerald eyes. She was carrying a bouquet of red colored flowers.

 _Emerald eyes… Pyrrha…?_

The woman spoke once more, snapping Jaune out of his temporary trance.

"Don't do it."

"W-What…?"

"Please, don't do it. Don't listen to her lies. She's manipulating you. It's not worth it."

Jaune stayed silent. He couldn't believe what was happening right now.

"Jaune…"

Jaune's breath hitched. He blinked.

She was gone. All that remained was the bouquet of red flowers, being left where she stood.

Jaune stared at where the woman stood a few seconds ago. He slowly walked towards the now forgotten flowers and picked them up gently. He traced his fingers across one of the flowers and sniffed them.

They were real.

He turned and walked back to the statue, placing the flowers on the podium near her feet. He looked up and stared at his lost partners face.

"I'll bring you back. Arc's promise."

He then turned and left the memorial ground with quick steps, hoping to make it back to his sister's house in record time.

In front of the podium and Pyrrha's feet, the red haired woman stood once more, her expression filled with grief. She looked at the boy that left the memorial, tears going down her cheeks.

She shook her head as a sob escaped her.

She was gone once more.

 **And that's it for this chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed. Sorry for the long wait. So, until next time, don't go changing.**


	6. Forgiveness

**Sup guys? Welcome to another chapter of Whatever the Cost. If you guys haven't noticed, we have a new profile picture for the story. I want to thank MashupMan2100 for making the pic. Thanks again my guy. Anywho, let's answer the reviews.**

 **MashupMan2100: That's what I was going for. The prequels did something good for once. And as much as I really want to include memes into the story, it would break the serious and sad atmosphere. But, my next project will include a lot of that. So, stay tuned for that.**

 **Chrome94: Glad to see you review again. Maybe he'll get Pyrrha back, maybe he won't. We'll see. The Red haired woman, in my opinion at least, was just a figment of Jaune's imagination. It was there in order for Jaune to get over his grief. If it's something else, Roosterteeth will probably talk about it at a later date.**

 **Stratos263: Patience young lad. All in due time…**

 **Patriot-112: Who said the Red haired woman was Pyrrha? I will say that she's going to play more of a role in this story than the way Roosterteeth used her. Essentially, she'll appear more than once.**

 **March2Dis: Nope. Not Pyrrha's ghost. A figment of Jaune's imagination. And yes, it's quite heartbreaking, isn't it. But, that's the charm of the story.**

 **343: That he is. That he is…**

 **Twoheadedsnake: I'm not going to pretend like I know who Obito Uchiha is, but if I need a bit of inspiration, then I'll look him up.**

 **Ouroborosdragon: To be fair, Jaune isn't the type of person that requires thanks. Just like a knight, he doesn't require thanks when he saves someone. He's just thankful that he's saving the day. But, this ain't the Jaune from the series. This is a Jaune that's closing his breaking point and is going to make a decision that will further ruin him. Everything else you mentioned, I already established in the first chapter.**

 **Engineer1869: Good to see that you're enjoying the story thus far. An appropriate reaction to learning that everything you did amounted to nothing. Jaune and Hazel will have a really pleasant conversation, which is all I'm going to say. Villains always were more honest with heroes in stories. Salem is no exception. Of course, she could twist the truth, but in the end they are honest and blunt. Jinn can't predict future Knowledge, but she could show him the truth, whatever it may be. The Red haired woman is just Jaune's imagination. But, she will be something more in this story. All in good time.**

 **Travisck: Who says he'll kill anyone? Injure someone, yes. Kill someone, maybe. Depends on the situation. But it won't be one of his friends. His descent has already started. Just a matter of time.**

 **Well, that's all the reviews from the previous chapter. On to this one.**

 _ **Chapter 6: Forgiveness.**_

* * *

Ruby sighed as she and her team walked back to Saphron's house, all extremely exhausted. After Jaune's departure, Ren and Nora said that they wanted some time to themselves in order to comprehend the recent news about Ozpin. That was short lived as Oscar also decided to up and leave. Team RWBY with Ren and Nora went out to look for both, but weren't at all successful. Terra and Saphron joined them as they were returning, with Adrian asleep in Terra's arms.

They stopped in front of the front door of the house, noticing a man laid down on the steps. They saw in was Qrow, passed out and drunk. His flask was in his right hand, heavy breaths leaving his opened mouth.

"I'm sure this looks great to the neighbors." Terra said sarcastically.

Ruby and Yang looked at each other with frowns.

"It's never gotten this bad before." Yang said.

Ruby sighed.

"Come on. Let's get him up." She said as she and Yang stepped in and sat him up, causing him to wake up and let out a groan.

"Wh-Why am I on the stairs?" He slurred as he rubbed his eyes.

"Probably because no one's HOME, Uncle Qrow. We've been out looking for Oscar and Jaune." Ruby emphasized, her hands on her waist.

"Oscar…?" Qrow asked, still rubbing his face.

Ruby sighed.

"C'mon, let's get you inside." Ruby said, taking one of his hands and putting it over her shoulder.

The door suddenly opened, giving everyone present their attention.

"Oh, there you guys are. I was wondering when you'd get back." Oscar said, stepping a few feet out the house.

What every one noticed first, was that the former farm hand was now wearing a new outfit. He's now wearing an olive coat with shoulder pads and a belt, both being a dark red. Underneath, he's wearing a white collared shirt, with bandages being wrapped around his neck. His gloves are a slight open U-shape with black X-pattern wrist straps. He also wears black trousers and red boots, changing to orange once they reached his toes.

"Oscar!" Everyone shouted in relief once they saw the boy, still well and not a runaway. He looked at everyone, confused as to why they reacted the way they did. His expression soon turns to panic as he noticed both teams jumping towards him and tackling him to the ground in a group hug.

Once everyone got off him, Ruby picked the boy up, and immediately being bombarded with questions.

"I was worried sick!" Weiss said.

"Are you okay?" Ruby this time asked, her fists on each side of her face and a pouty expression to boot.

"What are you wearing?" Nora asked with a smirk and a hand on her chin.

"Is… something cooking?" Terra asked as the rest entered the house.

"Oh, I thought you'd all like a hot meal, after… spending all day looking for me apparently." Oscar said with an awkward smile and shrug.

"Yea, I could go for something warm and meaty right now. Thanks Oscar." Yang said with a smirk.

"No thanks needed. These past few days, I've been scared about what's going to happen. I don't know how much time I got before I stop being… well, me. But, in the time I was away, I did some thinking. And I know that I want to do everything I can to help you guys with the little time I have left." Oscar said with a smile.

A beeping noise was then heard, causing Oscar's smile to drop.

"The Casserole!" Oscar shouted with his hands on his head.

"We got it chef." Saphron said as she and Terra walked into the kitchen.

Ruby sent Oscar another smile and walked towards him.

"That new outfit looks good on you."

Oscar smiled back at her and nodded in thanks.

Ruby turned her head to the right and noticed her uncle walking up the stairs. She fully walked to the base of the stairs.

"Where are you going now?" Ruby asked with an edge in her voice.

"I don't wanna get in the way of you celebration."

"You've been gone all day, just sit with us."

"Look Ruby, I'm glad you kids were able to work out all uhh… whatever all that was. But the fact is we're not a single step closer Atlas." Qrow said with a sigh, turning to regard the teens.

They all fell into silence as their minds tried to come up with anything that could get them to Atlas.

"Then it's time we take that first step."

Everyone turned towards the door and saw Jaune enter the house, closing the door behind him.

"Jaune!" Nora shouted as she jumped towards her leader to give him a bone crushing hug, causing him to wince and let out shallow gasps as he struggled to breathe.

"Nora… slowly… suffocating…" Jaune wheezed out, making Nora let go of him with a smirk.

"Welcome back Fearless Leader!" She said as she gave him another hug, not as life threatening as the one before.

Jaune hugged her back, allowing a small smile to cross his lips.

Nora let go of him and took a step back as Ren walked forward and hugged him as well.

"Go to see you back brother."

"I never left for good. Just needed time to clear my head."

"Where were you? We spent all day looking for you." Ruby asked him this time, glaring at her best friend, but it wasn't having an affect due to the fact of how relieved she was to see him.

Jaune let go of Ren and walked towards Ruby.

"I was at a memorial site." Jaune said with a sad smile.

"The one with Pyrrha Nikos?" Terra asked from the kitchen.

The room once again fell into silence as the teams regarded Jaune with sad looks. They all knew how heavily the Invincible Girl's death weighed on Jaune. They saw how he changed. He wasn't the boy that was awkward and clumsy in Beacon. He wasn't the boy that made jokes and flirted none-stop with Weiss. He was someone else entirely, a stranger.

They all wished that wasn't the case. They wanted to see Jaune smile and laugh more, like he did before. They wanted to see the bubbling and awkward boy make his long-awaited return.

Jaune's smile fell as he looked at the ground, an unpleasant look crossing his face. His hands shook as his lips tightened. His eyes were closed tightly as he clenched his fists in order to stop the shakes. He finally let out a breath, somewhat calming him down.

"Yea… the very same." He said, his voice breaking slightly.

Ruby stepped closer to Jaune and took his hands in hers, stopping the shakes and breaking him from his depressed state somewhat momentarily. He looked his best friend in the eyes, noticing the heavy concern in them.

"Are you going to be okay?" She asked him softly.

Jaune smiled.

It was a smile that shouldn't be associated with him.

"I told you back in Mistral, didn't I? I'll never be alright. I tried about a hundred times and failed. I gave up on trying to be alright."

Ruby circled her arms around the blonde's waist and put her forehead on his chest. Jaune looked down in surprise at the act. Before he could comprehend the situation, he felt another pair of hands going around his neck. He turned his head to the left and saw Weiss, whose head was buried in the crook of his neck.

Yang joined as well, going to his right and doing the same as Weiss. Blake put her hands on his shoulder blades and rested her head on his upper back. Nora grabbed his right hand and intertwined her fingers with his, her head on his shoulder. Ren grabbed his remaining free hand and put his own over Jaune's, tightening his hold on it. He looked Jaune in the eyes and gave a comforting smile.

Jaune looked at everyone around him with a shocked expression as his eyes slowly welled up. His vision became blurry as he tried to not cry in front of his friends.

"You're not alone, Jaune." Ruby said.

"From now on, you tell us when it's troubling you, you dunce. We're a family. You should be telling us these things."

"Don't make me change your name from Vomit Boy to Moody Boy. That's more of Blake's shtick."

"Yang, stop trying to ruin the moment. But, she's right. Don't go becoming me, or I'll sue you for copyright infringement."

"We love you Jauney, just like we loved Pyrrha."

"We don't want to lose you too."

Well, since they kept saying these things, how would he be able to hold back? A sob wrecked his body as his tears finally managed to break through. He would have fallen to his knees if not for his friends there to support him. He felt an extra pair of hands going around him. Through his blurry vision, he saw that he was buried in his sister's shoulder. She pulled him away, so both sibling would stare into each other's eyes, both crying. Saphron gave her brother a kiss on the forehead and pulled him back to her shoulder, squeezing him with all her strength.

"I love you Jaune. Don't you ever forget that. I love you." Saphron whispered in his ear.

Jaune wanted to say it back, but he couldn't. His wailing prevented him. He's bottled it up for a long time, so no one blamed him for being so emotional.

After some time, he managed to calm down somewhat.

"Thank you, all of you. My vision is a bit blurry and I have no clue who you people are, but thank you." Jaune said with a small smile and a joke, trying to bring the mood back up.

His friends chuckled a bit at his joke as one by one let go of him. They all wiped their eyes. Once they were clear, they looked at him with smiles on their faces, smiles that assured everything was going to be okay.

"Before we continue, I'd like to say something." Jaune said, turning his attention towards Oscar, who was standing awkwardly after the whole exchange. He froze once Jaune's eyes turned to him.

"I'm not gonna apologize about what I said to Ozpin, cause I feel that was justified on my part. But… I will say sorry to you Oscar. What I did was out of line and you didn't even deserve it. I was… paranoid. Angry. I'm really sorry, Oscar." Jaune said, rubbing the back of his head in his typical fashion.

Oscar relaxed once he realized that Jaune wasn't going to attack him again. He smiled at Jaune.

"It's all good. I would be doing the same thing if someone was lying to my face this whole time, and causing one of my best friend's death."

"So… we're good?"

"We're good."

Jaune shook his hand with Oscar. He smiled and turned towards Qrow, who was waiting patiently on the stairs.

"So, what I've thought off…"

* * *

 **And done. Pretty emotional chapter if I do say so myself. Happy with how it came out. So, until next time, don't go changing.**

 **Fun fact: Wrote this chapter on one of the Military PC's. If I got caught writing this, I would have been severely fucked. But, getting discharged finally, so I don't give a flying fuck no more. See ya.**


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